Relationship Requirements
by Sexy.Lil.Emo
Summary: John is stuck in his 'I'm not gay' mind set and has trouble realising that he and Sherlock are already a couple, but can Sherlock convince him that that John has been lying to himself? - Johnlock


"Sherlock?"

"Hmm?" Came the reply from the man peering into his microscope.

"Are we a couple?" John, who was sitting rather restlessly on his lounge, asked quite seriously.

"What?" Sherlock actually glanced away from his experiment.

"Everyone we meet comments on us being…you know…together. So, are we, together I mean? It's not like either of us is attached and I'm not saying that I'm gay, just…are we a couple?" John was having a hard time getting the words out, he wasn't going to say anything at all, but he had been restless all night thinking about this whole topic. Could they be a couple without either of them knowing it? Did Sherlock know and keep it to himself because John continued to declare himself heterosexual? Was John completely heterosexual? Was he even being honest with himself? Was he attracted to Sherlock?

The doctor's brain had no real answers, just guessing, except for the last question. If John was being honest with himself, which he mostly wasn't, the ex-soldier would realise that he was indeed attracted to his tall detective. Attracted in not just a sexual manner, but an emotional and romantic one as well.

Of course, John wasn't consciously aware of this, his own, development and was therefore shocked by Sherlock's answer.

"Well, as I have told you before, John, I am married to my work, however, it could be considered that we are something of a couple. We spend a great deal of our time together, you feed me, we share a number of possessions, I consult you on important matters and we live together. The only thing we don't do is sleep in the same bed nor do we engage in sexual activities, though they are not completely necessary in a relationship." The detective turned back to his project as he considered it a satisfactory answer to John's question.

"You actually think that we are?" John sputtered.

"I'm fairly certain that I just gave you my answer _and_ explained my reasoning, and unless the socially accepted requirements of a relationship have changed recently, I believe that my answer is quite logical and true."

John began to protest and Sherlock sighed exaggeratedly "What part of this are you having trouble with, John? You asked me a question and I simply answered it, its really not that difficult to process, even in a mind as unused as yours."

"Sherlock…do you want us to be a couple?" He's not sure what made him ask that, but he's suddenly very interested in Sherlock's response.

The detective surveyed John before avoiding the main point of the question "I like the way we live." He said carefully. Sherlock had admitted to himself quite some time ago that he had a large amount of sentiment for John, but even Sherlock wasn't that unskilled in feelings to know that John didn't share that particular brand of sentiment. He had stopped watching for it, but every so often John did something and Sherlock could swear he saw- no, never mind, it was stupid that John would carry a flame for Sherlock.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" John questioned.

Sherlock didn't answer, he had escaped to his mind palace where his thoughts were a whirlwind of questions, answers, facts, taunts, memories and scenarios.

John huffed, he knew where Sherlock had gone, and he knew the look on the detective's face. John was not finished with the conversation and he would wait until Sherlock crawled back out of his head.

Two hours, a cuppa, a bad reality television show, half a packet of bickies, and a short nap later, John was about to give up and go to bed for an early night when the detective spoke "It means what I said, I like the way we live, John. I like you."

Sherlock rose spontaneously from the lounge and locked himself inside his bedroom before John could say anything.

Frustrated and tired, John huffed and turned off the appliances before heading to his own room. He lay awake for a few hours, until sleep finally took him into a restless slumber. When he woke at five thirty the next morning, a dim grey light filtering in through the curtain, John had an odd feeling that someone was watching him, and not through one of Mycroft's privacy invading cameras. Scanning the room, he was less than surprised to find Sherlock perched on a chair in the corner by the door. Sherlock was staring at him unblinking and unmoving, apart from the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"Sherlock?" John mumbled, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Yes, John?" Sherlock answered, focusing his eyes on the doctor.

"What are you doing?" John asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"I was waiting for you to wake up." The detective told him.

"I'm surprised you didn't just play the violin in my ear." Joked the ex-soldier.

Sherlock contemplated the comment then said "I shall remember that for next time."

John rolled his eyes and Sherlock got down from the seat. He took the few steps between the chair and the bed and got on top of the covers, crossing his long legs as he sat.

"Now what are you doing?" John enquired in the voice he used when he was trying to be calm and Sherlock was being Sherlock.

This time the great detective didn't answer him, instead he leaned forward and whispered, John suspected, to himself "I wonder."

Suddenly there were soft, rather kissable, lips kissing him. For a moment, John melted into the touch, then his 'I'm not gay' brain kicked in and the doctor forced himself to back away from Sherlock and his warm, entrancing mouth.

"What the bloody hell, Sherlock?!" He cursed at the taller man, confused by his own reaction.

"It was an experiment." Was all Sherlock gave as an explanation.

"For a case?"

"You could say that." Sherlock was aware of his, growing, feelings; yes, it had grown past sentiment, he had realised that last night. Although, he was unsure on a physical level, but from his body's response, he had enjoyed the brief kiss with John.

"You could at least give me some warning." John told him.

"But if I did that, I wouldn't have been able to see your true reaction." Sherlock explained "For example if I were to tell you that I was about to kiss you, you would move away from me and refuse. That is not your true reaction, as you have had time to think about how you want to react. Your true reaction, when I kissed you unexpectedly, was to kiss me back, until you realised what you were doing. Therein lies what you truly feel, John." The detective concluded and sprang off the bed and out the door, leaving John to his musings.

By the time John had gathered his thoughts and left his bedroom, there was no sign of the detective in the flat at all. The ex-soldier concluded that Sherlock had gone out, probably so they didn't have to talk about this, but they most certainly had to talk about this.

John went about his day, having a cuppa and two slices of toast with blackberry jam before showering and dressing. Today he had a shift at the clinic. For four hours he was stuck there, by the third hour John was becoming anxious, he couldn't stand just sitting there, he needed to sort out what was going on between himself and Sherlock.

Thankfully, Sherlock was already home when John arrived. The great detective was sitting on the couch, knees drawn up and correcting the telly. John thought it slightly bizarre that Sherlock would be watching television, without him and instead of conducting an experiment on the ten toes he had in jars in the fridge next to the butter.

"I'm home." John announced walking into the flat.

"How do you watch this, its complete rubbish?" Sherlock responded turning the T.V off by the remote.

Ignoring Sherlock's comment about whatever program had been on, John had learnt his lesson arguing with Sherlock about the telly before, he said cautiously "Sherlock, what's going on?"

"Nothing." Came the short reply.

"Really? Then why did you kiss me this morning? Why do you think we are a couple?"

"John, are you still going on about this? I have already explained both of those events. Why is this causing you such distress?" Sherlock enquired. He was intrigued that John could not let it go; maybe it meant more to John than Sherlock had originally thought.

John had to think about that, why was it causing him distress? "Because I'm not gay!"

'The lady doth protest too much' came to mind, but Sherlock elected not to say it, perhaps he would make this point later. "And I consider myself asexual, if you must put a label on it. That does not change the facts. We both enjoyed the kiss this morning until you pulled away, and I have considered us a couple for quite some time, though I guess not in the way you think of a couple."

"What are you saying, Sherlock? That you want us to be a real couple?" He tried to sound disgusted, but found he couldn't. In truth, John realised he didn't really mind the concept of being Sherlock's partner in more than the Batman and Robin type scenario.

"John, I have never been in a relationship, merely studied them, I do not know the requirements or what is expected. Although, you have put up with me this long." 'The only one to ever put up with me this long' Sherlock added to himself. "I must admit that I do not know the extent of my attraction, but I do wish to find out, in time, of course, if you are comfortable.

John opened his mouth to say something but Sherlock cut him off "Just because you consider yourself straight does not mean you cannot have a relationship with another man. Think about it, John, I will be here when you have come to the answer you know is correct and final."

Sherlock ended the talking then by walking over to his violin and music sheets by the window and began to play. More confused than when he had walked through the door, the doctor made a cup of tea and sat on the lounge to read the paper he had bought on the way home.

John went to bed early that night, leaving Sherlock to his experiment of vampire bat blood versus green tree frog blood. He lay awake for hours thinking over and over everything that Sherlock had said, he tossed and turned, and finally fell asleep around twelve thirty.

When he woke at six fifteen, John felt tired and grumpy, the whole fiasco was driving him mad. His resolve was to just tell Sherlock he was flattered but no thanks. That was until he found the detective fast asleep and clutching one of John's jumpers, like a teddy, on the lounge.

John- tough, ex-soldier, army doctor –Watson melted as he stood there watching the most brilliant man he's ever known, cuddle his jumper, a small smile on the detective's face as he slept. His eyes swept over Sherlock's entire form, from his curly hair, to his dressing gown clad body, to his bare feet and knew that he had been lying to himself.

"Sherlock?" John whispered as he knelt down next to the lounge "Sherlock." He repeated louder and the detective stirred opening his eyes. He blinked a few times at John and opened his mouth, but this time John cut him off by leaning forward and pressing his lips to Sherlock's in a gentle but eager kiss.

John smiled as he pulled back and Sherlock slowly smiled too. They both understood what the kiss meant and it was the silent agreement to something they knew would be their greatest adventure yet.

X~X~X~X~X~X~~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~~X~X~X~X~X~X~

**Hey guys! So I was rewatching Sherlock the other day and got this idea from Irene telling John that he and Sherlock were a couple. I hope you enjoy it, let me know what you think.**

**And don't worry my other fics will be updated when I get some time, hopefully next week *fingers crossed* plus I am hoping to write my first Snarry fic soon, meanwhile I give you some Johnlock to sate you.**

**Much love guys xox**


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